Diesel or Gas?

[BobbyJones]

Don't start with "being sensible". Being sensible should start with not using a vehicle with a carbon footprint of a size of Texas. Driving should be fun and not about fuel consumption. If fuel efficiency and being a sensible driver is your thing, you're in the wrong club, friend. The Prius Owners Club is down the hall to the left. Somewhere.

I think you're missing the spirit of the discusssion.

 

[Bikersmurf]

I think you're missing the spirit of the discusssion.

X2

Just weighing the pros and cons... guess I can't be in his club because I drive a diesel which is efficient for what it is... that and I am a card carrying member of the Prius owners club...

 

[stormlover]

No Prius here but I do have a VW TDI which get's an un-EPA approved 50mpg.

Best my 6.0 psd with lift and 35" tires can do is 14-18 mpg. The lift and going 4x4 probably accounts for 3 or 4 mpg right of the bat.

 

[Bbasso]

It's really odd to me when people buy vehicles with big engines, slam big wheels under them, put tons of weight in them, spending upwards of 30K on them and then being overly concerned with fuel consumption. And driving these things 60 m/h on the highway to save some fuel is just pathetic. Don't start with "being sensible". Being sensible should start with not using a vehicle with a carbon footprint of a size of Texas. Driving should be fun and not about fuel consumption. If fuel efficiency and being a sensible driver is your thing, you're in the wrong club, friend. The Prius Owners Club is down the hall to the left. Somewhere.

Sensible, huh...
To me, driving an 8000+ pound vehicle @ 60ish miles per hour is rather reasonable and sensible.
Fuel economy is important but safety and having a good time getting to the destination is worth more then the time savings going fast as fock...
So if we are on the same road as me, keep on trucking and stay away from me.

 

[Bikersmurf]

FYI, I've got my class 1 (long haul rig) drivers license and long haul drivers make better time who drive slower. Truckers who are pushing limits fatigue faster and therefore need to take more breaks over their 10-13 hr shift. At the end of the day the extra breaks offset any time savings... so they just burn more fuel and don't finish the day any faster.

Getting there safely is an important factor. We also don't all wipe our rears with $100 bills. Some of us have to factor in a budget with our builds. A key factor in diesel vs gas is cost over the period of ownership. Be it fuel economy, maintenances cost, or a combination of the two.

 

[stormlover]

Seems like every gasser vs diesel thread devolves into dissention but arguing over who drives the slowest is silly. Just say'n.

I guess I'm somewhere in the middle. I'm a leadfoot and like to get places fast but there's something about a 10,000lb van hurtling down the highway at 80mph that is a bit disconcerting. I'm not concerned at all about mileage and generally the sportsmobile build with leaf springs and dynatrac front d60 is very stable but still...I've got my family on board and brakes with 13" rotors.

I don't really think of driving my van as fun. It's a means to an end. Now jamming my torquey TDI Golf up the switchbacks on hwy 89 between Sedona and Flagstaff in 3rd gear with no one in front of me is quite fun. Amazingly so, even with an $8,000 mountain bike in the hitch rack.

 

[plutonic]

I think you're missing the spirit of the discusssion.

Discussion about who's driving slower to try to save on gas in a (recreational) vehicle with a large displacement engine, perfectly capable to do normal operating speed(s) has no spirit. At all.

The discussion started about gas vs. diesel engines, their pros and cons and now it's about who's "feathering" the right pedal more/better. That has absolutely nothing to do with the type of engine you have in your vehicle. Like driving unreasonably slow, for no other reason than to save on fuel, has nothing to do with safety. Obviously everyone's driving the way they want, but don't think for a minute that you're doing a "good job" because you take off from the light agonizingly slow (saving fuel!) or driving slow (safe!) on the highway. In the left lane too, for full effect. You're nothing more than a rolling road hazard, causing frustration as other motorists trying to get around you.

So, can we get back to the original topic, which is gas vs. diesel?

I had a diesel e-350 for a while. (Don't know the gas mileage, never calculated it, don't care). I too, like diesels for their torque, but I don't like the noise. Fact is, I hate the noise that comes with the diesel engine in the E series. I went great lengths to soundproof my van, but ultimately I have failed to get it to acceptable noise level in the cabin, so I sold the thing and I will never get another E series with diesel engine. On the other hand, I had a Sprinter with a diesel engine which was great. The noise wasn't bad at all. Loved the torque and the snappiness with it. I drive a Transit now, mid-roof, mid-wheelbase, gas engine and I really like it. The driving experience is similar to the Sprinter's, even more car-like. I don't miss the diesel.

 

[Bikersmurf]

Means to an end... sounds like you've got the wrong van

Just kidding... please don't take offence.

I truly enjoy driving my ambulance. It's not a sports car, but it handles the twisties very well, beats everything across the intersection, beats empty cummins pickups up long grades, cruises at 60+ mph comfortably, doesn't care about wind/rain/snow, and is a pleasure to drive all day long. When I bought it, it was loose and squirrelly. Over the years the complete front & rear suspension has been replaced including: springs, sway bar, Ibeams, Radius arms, ball joints, TREs, bushings, shackles, brakes, etc. Now it's tight and can be thrown into corners and power out of them. All that's left is to get some really good shocks and see what it is really capable of... Although it kinda doesn't matter because it'll do much more than I'll ask of it.

 

[Bikersmurf]

Discussion about driving slow to try to save on gas in a (recreational) vehicle with a large displacement engine, perfectly capable to do normal operating speed(s) has no spirit. At all.

Who said anything about driving slow to save fuel? How fast should we drive at night on a windy ice covered mountain highway in a snowstorm?

Reporting the fuel economy of a long highway trip is a far cry from driving slow and hypermiling to save fuel. Besides, most of our highways have 50-55 mph speed limits... only a few stretches have 60, 65, or 70 mph limits. If I was trying to save fuel I'd be getting even higher mpg numbers... I'm not going to complain that on long drives it sips fuel doing so

 

[86scotty]

Over at the peaceful Sportsmobile Forum there are no gas vs. diesel threads allowed, for this reason. There are a million there, and here, which all usually end about where this one is, which is why the mods cut them off immediately when started. I'm hoping Expo will soon take a similar stance.

Quote from PO's original post: "I'm one of those "to each their own" guys and not trying to stir the pot."

PO's post answered by first responder, CaideN: "There's probably over thousands of discussion of this subject on many forums. I think ultimately it's personal preference."

Is our endless bickering going to end anywhere other than mostly like-minded folks devolving into enemies? This is no different than American politics!

 

[Bikersmurf]

Over at the peaceful Sportsmobile Forum there are no gas vs. diesel threads allowed, for this reason. There are a million there, and here, which all usually end about where this one is, which is why the mods cut them off immediately when started. I'm hoping Expo will soon take a similar stance.

Quote from PO's original post: "I'm one of those "to each their own" guys and not trying to stir the pot."

PO's post answered by first responder, CaideN: "There's probably over thousands of discussion of this subject on many forums. I think ultimately it's personal preference."

Is our endless bickering going to end anywhere other than mostly like-minded folks devolving into enemies? This is no different than American politics!

X2
I'm out. I should've quit sooner... rookie mistake.✌️

 

[stormlover]

I'm not sure about the 7.3, but on my rig with the 6.0 psd with 35" tires and 4.10 gearing the best mileage is at ~2000 rpms. That's 65 mph or so and generally that's where I keep it unless I am in a hurry. I love having a diesel but have never driven a heavy 4x4 van with a gasser. I suspect I would like it as well. 6.0 is considerably less loud than the 7.3 and with the proper mods is just as dependable.

As far as whether or not it's fun to drive ....I enjoy it especially off road but yes it's a means to an end: getting to the trailhead or cool campspot. I think of it as enjoyable but when I want fun I reach for the sports car with european suspension and drive fast.

This thread is pretty tame. Try the water softener forums for some real rancor.

 

[Huffy]

And thats all folks!

 

[workerdrone]

There's always one guy that will claim his diesel gets 20+ mpg.

Another one here - just did 2 cross country trips with an empty GMC 2500 Duramax 4wd in stock form. 25.5 mpg and 27.5 mpg and doing 70-75mph. And around 17mpg towing dual axle trailers back each time.

My last diesel, F550 6.0 liter, averaged usually 12-14 at 55mph or so, but considering the weight it was moving and the 12' wall of anti-aerodynamics it presented to the wind, I figured it was actually on par in efficiency with the two VW TDI's I've had that got from 45-53mpg on the highway.

I've still never encouraged people to buy diesels just because they think they will save $ with the great mileage. I think you need to be the right kind of person, maintenance-wise. A lot of the horror stories IMO come from dealers throwing expensive parts at problems that could be solved cheap with a little labor, or owners or previous owners just completely ignoring new noises and proper PM.

 

[familyvan]

My Ford can hit 19 highway if I work at it, 17 with the cruise set on 65, and 14 in town. 4.9L, C6, 3:08, 225/75-16. 19 mpg hwy was with jsut over 1k lbs of cargo, have never tried to max out mpg empty.

For sure, ha.

A nice running 6.0 is stupid fun to drive, even in a van on 35s or 37s. But I wouldn't have another. Nor will I ever get rid of my 7.3!

Ujoint, are you saying you would not own another 6.0 or a van on 37's?